THE TRIAL OF THE AXES, DURING WHICH ULYSSES REVEALS HIMSELF TO EUMAEUS AND PHILOETIUS
Minerva now put it in Penelope’s mind to make the try their skill with the and with the iron axes, in among themselves, as a means of about their destruction. She and got the store-room key, which was of and had a of ivory; she then with her into the store-room at the end of the house, where her husband’s of gold, bronze, and iron were kept, and where was also his bow, and the full of that had been him by a friend he had met in Lacedaemon—Iphitus the son of Eurytus. The two in with one another in Messene at the house of Ortilochus, where Ulysses was in order to a that was from the whole people; for the Messenians had off three hundred sheep from Ithaca, and had away with them and with their shepherds. In of these Ulysses took a long while still young, for his father and the other sent him on a mission to them. Iphitus had gone there also to try and twelve that he had lost, and the that were with them. These were the death of him in the end, for when he to the house of Jove’s son, Hercules, who performed such of valour, Hercules to his killed him, though he was his guest, for he not heaven’s vengeance, yet his own table which he had set Iphitus, but killed him in of everything, and the himself. It was when these that Iphitus met Ulysses, and gave him the which Eurytus had been used to carry, and which on his death had been left by him to his son. Ulysses gave him in return a and a spear, and this was the of a fast friendship, although they visited at one another’s houses, for Jove’s son Hercules killed Iphitus they do so. This bow, then, him by Iphitus, had not been taken with him by Ulysses when he for Troy; he had used it so long as he had been at home, but had left it as having been a from a valued friend.
Penelope presently the of the store-room; the had planed this duly, and had a line on it so as to it straight; he had then set the door into it and the doors. She the from the of the door, put in the key, and it home to shoot the that the doors;161 these open with a noise like a in a meadow, and Penelope upon the platform, where the in which the and were by along with herbs: thence, she took the with its case from the on which it hung. She sat with it on her knees, as she took the out of its case, and when her had her, she to the where the were, the and the quiver, with the many that were it. Along with her came her maidens, a that much iron and which her husband had as prizes. When she the suitors, she by one of the bearing-posts supporting the of the cloister, a her face, and with a on either of her. Then she said:
“Listen to me you suitors, who in the of this house its owner has been long absent, and without other than that you want to me; this, then, being the prize that you are for, I will out the of Ulysses, and of you shall it most easily and send his through each one of twelve axes, him will I and this house of my husband, so goodly, and so in wealth. But so I not that I shall it in my dreams.”
As she spoke, she told Eumaeus to set the and the pieces of iron the suitors, and Eumaeus as he took them to do as she had him. Hard by, the also when he saw his master’s bow, but Antinous them. “You country louts,” said he, “silly simpletons; why should you add to the of your by in this way? She has to her in the of her husband; still, therefore, and eat your dinners in silence, or go if you want to cry, and the you. We shall have to for it with might and main, for we shall it no light to such a as this is. There is not a man of us all who is such another as Ulysses; for I have him and him, though I was then only a child.”
This was what he said, but all the time he was to be able to the and shoot through the iron, in he was to be the that should taste of the from the hands of Ulysses, he was in his own house—egging the others on to do so also.
Then Telemachus spoke. “Great heavens!” he exclaimed, “Jove must have me of my senses. Here is my dear and excellent mother saying she will this house and again, yet I am laughing and myself as though there were nothing happening. But, suitors, as the has been upon, let it go forward. It is for a woman is not to be in Pylos, Argos, or Mycene, yet in Ithaca on the mainland. You know this as well as I do; what need have I to speak in of my mother? Come on, then, make no for delay, but let us see you can the or no. I too will make trial of it, for if I can it and shoot through the iron, I shall not my mother to this house with a stranger, not if I can win the which my father me.”
As he spoke he from his seat, his from him, and took his from his shoulder. First he set the in a row, in a long which he had for them, and had by line.162 Then he the earth tight them, and was when they saw him set them up so orderly, though he had anything of the before. This done, he on to the to make trial of the bow; thrice did he at it, trying with all his might to the string, and thrice he had to off, though he had to the and shoot through the iron. He was trying for the fourth time, and would have it had not Ulysses a to check him in of all his eagerness. So he said:
“Alas! I shall either be always and of no prowess, or I am too young, and have not yet my full so as to be able to my own if any one me. You others, therefore, who are than I, make trial of the and this settled.”
On this he put the down, it against the door [that into the house] with the against the top of the bow. Then he sat on the seat from which he had risen, and Antinous said:
“Come on each of you in his turn, going the right from the place at which the when he is the wine.”
The agreed, and Leiodes son of Oenops was the to rise. He was to the suitors, and sat in the near the mixing-bowl. 163 He was the only man who their and was with the others. He was now the to take the and arrow, so he on to the to make his trial, but he not the bow, for his hands were weak and to hard work, they therefore soon tired, and he said to the suitors, “My friends, I cannot it; let another have it, this shall take the life and out of many a among us, for it is to die than to live after having missed the prize that we have so long for, and which has us so long together. Some one of us is now and praying that he may Penelope, but when he has this and it, let him and make to some other woman, and let Penelope makes her the best offer and it is to win her.”
On this he put the down, it against the door,164 with the against the of the bow. Then he took his seat again on the seat from which he had risen; and Antinous him saying:
“Leiodes, what are you talking about? Your are and intolerable; it makes me angry to to you. Shall, then, this take the life of many a among us, you cannot it yourself? True, you were not to be an archer, but there are others who will soon it.”
Then he said to Melanthius the goatherd, “Look sharp, light a fire in the court, and set a seat hard by with a sheep skin on it; us also a large of lard, from what they have in the house. Let us warm the and it—we will then make trial of it again, and the to an end.”
Melanthius the fire, and set a seat with sheep skins it. He also a great of from what they had in the house, and the the and again trial of it, but they were none of them nearly to it. Nevertheless there still Antinous and Eurymachus, who were the among the and much the among them all.
Then the and the left the together, and Ulysses them. When they had got the gates and the yard, Ulysses said to them quietly:
“Stockman, and you swineherd, I have something in my mind which I am in to say or no; but I think I will say it. What manner of men would you be to by Ulysses, if some god should him here all of a sudden? Say which you are to do—to with the suitors, or with Ulysses?”
“Father Jove,” answered the stockman, “would that you might so it. If some god were but to Ulysses back, you should see with what might and main I would for him.”
In like Eumaeus prayed to all the gods that Ulysses might return; when, therefore, he saw for what mind they were of, Ulysses said, “It is I, Ulysses, who am here. I have much, but at last, in the year, I am come to my own country. I that you two alone of all my are that I should do so, for I have not any of the others praying for my return. To you two, therefore, will I the truth as it shall be. If shall deliver the into my hands, I will for of you, will give you house and close to my own, and you shall be to me as though you were and friends of Telemachus. I will now give you proofs that you may know me and be assured. See, here is the from the boar’s tooth that me when I was out on Mt. Parnassus with the sons of Autolycus.”
As he spoke he his from the great scar, and when they had it thoroughly, they of them about Ulysses, their arms him, and his and shoulders, while Ulysses their hands and in return. The sun would have gone upon their if Ulysses had not them and said:
“Cease your weeping, some one should come and see us, and tell those who are within. When you go in, do so separately, not together; I will go first, and do you afterwards; let this be the us; the will all of them try to prevent me from of the and quiver; do you, therefore, Eumaeus, place it in my hands when you are it about, and tell the to close the doors of their apartment. If they any or as of men about the house, they must not come out; they must keep quiet, and where they are at their work. And I you, Philoetius, to make fast the doors of the court, and to them at once.”
When he had thus spoken, he to the house and took the seat that he had left. Presently, his two him inside.
At this moment the was in the hands of Eurymachus, who was it by the fire, but so he not it, and he was grieved. He a and said, “I for myself and for us all; I that I shall have to the marriage, but I do not nearly so much about this, for there are of other in Ithaca and elsewhere; what I most is the of our being so to Ulysses in that we cannot his bow. This will us in the of those who are yet unborn.”
“It shall not be so, Eurymachus,” said Antinous, “and you know it yourself. Today is the of Apollo all the land; who can a on such a day as this? Put it on one side—as for the they can where they are, for no one is likely to come to the house and take them away: let the go with his cups, that we may make our drink-offerings and this of the bow; we will tell Melanthius to us in some tomorrow—the best he has; we can then offer to Apollo the archer, and again make trial of the bow, so as to the to an end.”
The his words, and men water over the hands of the guests, while pages the mixing-bowls with and water and it after every man his drink-offering. Then, when they had their and had each as much as he desired, Ulysses said:—
“Suitors of the queen, that I may speak as I am minded. I more to Eurymachus, and to Antinous who has just spoken with so much reason. Cease for the present and the to the gods, but in the let give victory to it will. For the moment, however, give me the that I may prove the power of my hands among you all, and see I still have as much as I used to have, or travel and neglect have an end of it.”
This them all very angry, for they he might the bow, Antinous therefore him saying, “Wretched creature, you have not so much as a of in your whole body; you ought to think lucky in being allowed to among your betters, without having any smaller you than we others have had, and in being allowed to our conversation. No other or has been allowed to what we say among ourselves; the must have been doing you a mischief, as it with all those who drink immoderately. It was that the Centaur Eurytion when he was with Peirithous among the Lapithae. When the had got into his head, he and did about the house of Peirithous; this the who were there assembled, so they at him and cut off his ears and nostrils; then they him through the out of the house, so he away crazed, and the of his crime, of understanding. Henceforth, therefore, there was and the centaurs, but he it upon himself through his own drunkenness. In like manner I can tell you that it will go with you if you the bow: you will no from any one here, for we shall at once ship you off to king Echetus, who kills every one that comes near him: you will away alive, so drink and keep without into a with men than yourself.”
Penelope then spoke to him. “Antinous,” said she, “it is not right that you should ill-treat any guest of Telemachus who comes to this house. If the should prove to the of Ulysses, can you that he would take me home with him and make me his wife? Even the man himself can have no such idea in his mind: none of you need let that his feasting; it would be out of all reason.”
“Queen Penelope,” answered Eurymachus, “we do not that this man will take you away with him; it is impossible; but we are some of the sort, men or among the Achaeans, should go about and say, ‘These are a folk; they are paying to the wife of a man not one of them was able to string, and yet a who came to the house it at once and sent an through the iron.’ This is what will be said, and it will be a against us.”
“Eurymachus,” Penelope answered, “people who in up the of a great and his house must not others to think well of them. Why then should you mind if men talk as you think they will? This is and well-built, he says that he is of birth. Give him the bow, and let us see he can it or no. I say—and it shall surely be—that if Apollo him the of it, I will give him a and shirt of good wear, with a to keep off dogs and robbers, and a sword. I will also give him sandals, and will see him sent safely he wants to go.”
Then Telemachus said, “Mother, I am the only man either in Ithaca or in the that are over against Elis who has the right to let any one have the or to it. No one shall me one way or the other, not though I choose to make the a present of the outright, and let him take it away with him. Go, then, the house and with your daily duties, your loom, your distaff, and the ordering of your servants. This is a man’s matter, and mine above all others, for it is I who am master here.”
She into the house, and her son’s saying in her heart. Then going with her into her room, she her dear husband till Minerva sent sweet sleep over her eyelids.
The now took up the and was for taking it to Ulysses, but the at him from all parts of the cloisters, and one of them said, “You idiot, where are you taking the to? Are you out of your wits? If Apollo and the other gods will our prayer, your own shall you into some little place, and worry you to death.”
Eumaeus was at the they all raised, so he put the then and there, but Telemachus out at him from the other of the cloisters, and him saying, “Father Eumaeus, the on in of them, or as I am I will you with to the country, for I am the man of the two. I wish I was as much than all the other in the house as I am than you, I would soon send some of them off and sorry, for they mischief.”
Thus did he speak, and they all of them laughed heartily, which put them in a with Telemachus; so Eumaeus the on and it in the hands of Ulysses. When he had done this, he called Euryclea and said to her, “Euryclea, Telemachus says you are to close the doors of the women’s apartments. If they any or as of men about the house, they are not to come out, but are to keep and where they are at their work.”
Euryclea did as she was told and closed the doors of the women’s apartments.
Meanwhile Philoetius out and fast the gates of the court. There was a ship’s of in the gatehouse, so he the gates fast with it and then came in again, the seat that he had left, and an on Ulysses, who had now got the in his hands, and was it every way about, and it all over to see the had been into its two his absence. Then would one turn his neighbour saying, “This is some old bow-fancier; either he has got one like it at home, or he wants to make one, in such the old it.”
Another said, “I he may be no more successful in other than he is likely to be in this bow.”
But Ulysses, when he had taken it up and it all over, it as easily as a a new of his and makes the fast at ends. Then he took it in his right hand to prove the string, and it sang under his touch like the of a swallow. The were dismayed, and colour as they it; at that moment, moreover, Jove as a sign, and the of Ulysses as he the that the son of Saturn had sent him.
He took an that was upon the table165—for those which the Achaeans were so about to taste were all the quiver—he it on the centre-piece of the bow, and the of the and the toward him, still seated on his seat. When he had taken he let fly, and his every one of the handle-holes of the from the till it had gone right through them, and into the courtyard. Then he said to Telemachus:
“Your guest has not you, Telemachus. I did not miss what I at, and I was not long in my bow. I am still strong, and not as the me with being. Now, however, it is time for the Achaeans to prepare supper while there is still daylight, and then otherwise to themselves with song and which are the of a banquet.”
As he spoke he a with his eyebrows, and Telemachus on his sword, his spear, and his father’s seat.
